Former Penn State President Graham Spanier wants a county judge to put his defamation case against former FBI Director Louis Freeh on hold pending Spanier's criminal trial in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

In papers filed Friday in Centre County Court in Bellefonte, Spanier's lawyers say moving forward on the civil case now would undercut it. They say people who are potential witnesses in both cases might assert their right against self-incrimination and refuse to testify if the still-unscheduled criminal trial is pending.